6. Alcohol Levy was imposed by HE President Dr Ian Khama to curb excessive drinking which translated into drunken driving, road carnage and sexual promiscuity, resulting in HIV AIDS pandemic. The levy was ostensibly to cultivate national sobriety. Billions of pula have, and are being collected from the public through the levy, which keeps rising at the whim of the President; yet sobriety of Batswana is nowhere in evidence. Batswana travel across the borders to indulge in the merrymaking they were used to, prior to alcohol levy days. Proceeds from the levy are administered haphazardly without target whatsoever. No rehabilitation centres have emerged to cultivate sobriety; the alcohol industry has collapsed; unemployment keeps climbing; the amount of cash outflows from the economy is inestimable; we await, courtesy of the Finance Minister to learn, how much the alcohol levy has impacted on budget deficits, since it was imposed. An intriguing phenomenon has appeared in the horizon; Batswana, according to researchersm have been found to be the unhappiest people on the planet. Believe it or not, that’s the verdict of experts! Could there be a link between Batswana unhappiness and the capricious prohibition they endure, consigned to bed like small kids when they still wish to while away time with fellow revellers, due to the restricted liquor sales hours? Maybe, not basic; may it be ancillary?
7. Before 2009 the BDP was a monolithic political structure unacquainted with schisms which haunts rival opposition parties. The advent of Khama’s leadership brought about the first split within the BDP and gave birth to Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD). President Khama, as leader of the BDP attempted to impose his favoured candidates at the BDP 2009 elective congress and disaster struck. Obviously a sign of immaturity and/or reckless exercise of leadership. He wanted to make BDP members look like they had no minds of their own! If Khama doesn’t tolerate democracy in his own party, can he tolerate it outside, among rivals?
